


Three Weeks with Loki

by MoonCat163



Series: Time with Loki [2]
Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Blue cotton candy is a bad idea, Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Loki has learned to cook, Loki needs a vacation, lazy days at a cabin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-07-29 19:51:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20087830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonCat163/pseuds/MoonCat163
Summary: Four months after being left alone with Loki, it’s time for you to go back to your regular duties. Loki isn’t very happy about it, but is allowed to accompany you on your three week vacation before you have to part company. You’ve spent almost every day together and he’s become accustomed to your presence.Thor and Tony feel that he’s come to rely too heavily on you, but Natasha seems to think it’s something else entirely.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My second xReader fic. I hope you like it....As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. 😊

It had been a little over four months since you’d been left alone for a week with Loki when the team had been called out on a mission. He relaxed a bit after that, although he would occasionally get frustrated over even the simplest things. Unknown to you, Thor had spoken to him in private and told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to take his anger out on you, since you were there to help him. 

One thing about him had surprised you and the others: his interest in learning to cook. Once he found his way around the internet and YouTube, he could be found in the kitchen, trying out different recipes. Jarvis kept him supplied with ingredients, and Loki would make just enough of a dish to share with you, to the disgruntlement of the others. Thor and Tony secretly found it amusing, though. 

Thor then started letting his brother accompany you outside the building also, so you would walk with him, showing him the sights. Tony had given you a credit card to use on these trips, so that you could help Loki buy anything that he might need. 

Loki was still averse to being touched unnecessarily, but on one such outing, you were separated from him by the other pedestrians on the sidewalk. You’d been in New York for several years by then, but trying to navigate the packed sidewalks still caused you anxiety, because you would constantly try to step out of the way of oncomers, then end up trapped in the doorway of some business. 

It had happened again during this trip. When Loki realized that you were no longer beside him, he stopped to look around. He finally found you and worked his way back rather easily since his bearing and demeanor made other people step aside for _ him_. When he reached you, one eyebrow arched questioningly. 

“Now you know one of my weaknesses,” you told him, rather embarrassed by the admission and by the fact that your heart was racing from the stress. 

“What’s that?” He asked, concerned. 

“I don’t really like large crowds of people, especially if they’re close enough to bump into me.”

Loki nodded in understanding, then held out his hand to you. You glanced up at him. 

“But you don’t like — “

“I choose who touches me, Little Wolf,” he interrupted you, but with a smile. “Now, let me show you how to make these mortals move aside for _ you_.” 

He took your hand firmly then led you out of the doorway, again doing so easily. People did move aside for the both of you, but then someone ran into you, knocking against your shoulder rather hard. Loki glared at the offender, who mumbled an apology and hurried off. 

“Eyes up, Tala,” Loki said. “Show them where you intend to go and they will step out of your way.”

You tried, you really did, but after you were jostled several more times, Loki finally drew your arm through his. He held your hand firmly, keeping you at his side. After a few minutes of walking this way, you found it easier to navigate, although Loki was the reason that you were no longer getting bumped. 

After walking half a block, Loki guided you over to a coffee shop that had patio tables outside it. You sat down gratefully, with a deep breath. 

“Give me the plastic money and I’ll get us something,” Loki said, holding out his hand. 

You obeyed and waited until he returned, followed by a server bearing a tray with two cups of tea and a plate of scones. Loki gave the credit card back to you and you carefully returned it to your wallet (because an unlimited credit line from Tony Stark meant just that.)

“You confuse me,” Loki told you after sitting beside you and divvying up the scones. 

“Why’s that?”

“You work with scores of people while planning events for the Starks, yet crowded sidewalks upset you.”

“I suppose that would be confusing. I guess maybe it’s because I’m out of my comfort zone. I know most of the people that I work with, but these folks on the sidewalks are complete strangers.”

Loki nodded before leaning back in his seat. His arm went across the back of your chair companionably. 

“These are good,” you said, indicating the scones. 

“Mine are better,” he replied, grinning when you laughed. 

“Can’t argue there.”

When you both had finished your tea, you sat at the table for a while longer, until the crowd thinned somewhat. 

“Did you want to go anywhere in particular today?” You asked him. 

“Well…” he started before giving you a sly look. 

You knew that look and couldn’t help but laugh again. 

“While I’m sure that Mr. Daniel will be delighted to see you, your closet would disagree. Tony will likely need to give you two adjoining rooms, one just for your clothes.”

Loki was beautiful when he smiled, and one thing that made him smile was when he was able to get on Tony’s nerves. When you had brought him clothes shopping a couple months ago, Loki balked at buying off the rack clothing. Luckily, Tony had the name of a good tailor, and Loki had taken an immediate liking to him. 

Mr. Daniel was a quiet, small man with a calm demeanor that had listened to Loki’s wishes. Loki hadn’t batted an eye while the other man had taken his measurements, assuring him that he’d only have to do it once and would keep them on file. 

When Loki only wanted black dress suits and shirts, Mr. Daniel convinced him to try variations. Loki had been pleased, especially after seeing your obvious approval. 

“He has some things all ready for me, plus a few new ideas,” Loki responded, shrugging. “You won’t have to carry anything.”

“I don't mind.”

“But my brother does.”

Thor had nearly lost his mind when you’d returned from that first shopping trip. You carried several bags for Loki and he had as many himself, but Thor had assumed that Loki was treating you like a servant, despite your protests to the contrary. 

It was the only time that any of them had seen you lose your temper, and the dressing down that Thor received had stunned them. Except for Tony. Tony had not been shocked at all. 

Afterwards, you felt so badly that you had apologized to Thor in private while tears of shame streamed down your cheeks. He apologized also, then gave you a big bear hug that lifted you off your feet. 

“He won’t say anything,” you replied. 

“He won’t say anything to _ you_; he’ll reserve it for my ears only,” Loki responded. “Are you ready to advance further?”

“You make it sound like a military exercise,” you commented, standing to put the crockery into the receptacle by the door. 

He smiled before taking your hand again. “Maybe it is.”

— — — — 

You and Loki returned to the Tower after a couple of hours. Loki’s recent purchase had been delivered well before then, and he was looking forward Tony’s reaction. 

Tony, to his credit, merely rolled his eyes. Still, Loki was pleased with the expression. 

“And we can't even get your brother to buy new jeans,” Tony muttered. 

You grinned at him, while going with Loki to put his new clothes away. Together, it was a quick task. Once finished, you went to the kitchen for water while Loki did some rearranging. 

“Can I talk to you?” Tony asked quietly while Loki was still occupied. 

“Sure.”

You followed him to a small office. When Thor came in, you knew what was coming. 

“First and foremost, I want to tell you that you’ve done a superb job in helping Loki settle in,” Thor said while squeezing your shoulder very gently. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy at times.”

“He just needed to relax,” you replied. 

“This is true,” Thor responded. 

“It’s the middle of summer now, and Pepper needs your help in planning the Christmas gala,” Tony started off, rather reluctantly. “I know that you have three weeks’ vacation coming up, so she’d like your help once you return.”

“Alright,” you replied, your heart sinking just a bit. “I’d like to tell him, if it’s alright.”

“Sure,” Tony agreed. “I don’t think that he’s likely to take the news well, regardless of who it comes from.”

— — —

After Loki was told that you were returning to your duties, it was obvious that he wasn’t happy _ at all. _Thor was concerned that Loki had come to rely on you too much, and Tony agreed. Natasha told them that they were both missing the big picture, which confused them. 

“Come on, Loki, I thought you might be rather relieved not to have me under your elbow all the time,” you teased him. 

“I’ve become accustomed to you.” 

“I like you, too,” you retorted, smiling when he gave you a sharp look. “It’s okay.”

During the next two weeks leading up to your vacation, Loki’s temper was barely controlled. Although you were keeping your current room, you both knew that it would be unlikely that you’d see each other every day. 

Loki would soon start accompanying the team on missions, so he could be gone for days at a time. You would likely be exhausted after a full day of helping Pepper to plan the gala, so you wouldn’t feel like socializing and would go straight to bed. 

As the time got closer, you spoke to Thor in private, asking if Loki could accompany you to the cabin where you’d be spending your vacation. You didn’t say anything to Loki, wanting to talk to Thor first in case he was opposed to it. 

“Are you sure you want company during your time off?” He asked, rather surprised. 

“Maybe he just needs a change of scenery. I don’t know yet if he’ll even go. I wasn’t going to mention it unless you agreed.”

“It will be fine with me, but you are to keep the link to Jarvis with you, and let me or Stark know if something comes up that you can’t handle.”

“Of course.”

— — —

When you mentioned the trip to Loki, he was a bit surprised at the offer, but receptive. You explained about the cabin where you’d be staying, with the closest town twenty miles away. 

“There’s a pool if you want to swim and a small library if you just want to read,” you told him. “The rooms are on opposite ends of the house; you can do your thing, I’ll do mine and we can have a meal together, or not.”

“Alright,” he agreed after some consideration. “I would like being somewhere quiet for a few days.”

The night before you were to leave, you helped him select suitable clothes, and made sure that he had swimming trunks, tee shirts and several pairs of shoes. Tony loaned you a car, with you insisting that it be his least favorite convertible with an automatic transmission. 

“Why?”

“I might get a wild hair and teach Loki how to drive.”

Tony stared at you with a mixture of horror and awe that you were considering such a thing. It was obvious that he wasn’t sure if you were serious or not.


	2. Week One

Early the next morning, your borrowed car had been brought around, and loaded with your suitcases. Loki had dressed casually as you’d recommended; he wore grey chinos along with a white dress shirt, and short boots that had been custom made for him. 

Yep, he was a striking figure indeed. 

“Does this meet with your approval?” He asked, with a smile. 

“Yes, indeed,” you replied. “Got your sunglasses?”

“Of course.”

“Want a hat?”

“Absolutely not.”

You laughed at that as you put your ball cap on. The sun wasn’t up yet, but you intended on taking advantage of having a convertible to drive. Loki settled himself into the passenger seat and diligently fastened the seat belt. 

“If you want to stop anywhere, let me know,” you told him, while adjusting the driver's seat, then mirrors. “The traffic shouldn’t be too bad this early, and the drive is only about four hours. I’ll make a rest stop at the halfway mark, or sooner if needed.”

“Alright,” he replied. 

Soon you were on your way, and while there was some traffic, it was too early for rush hour, so it didn’t take long to get onto the interstate heading out of the city. Loki had been quiet since leaving the tower, and you assumed that he was sleeping. 

At the halfway mark, you stopped at your usual rest stop before continuing on. There was a small town that you had to go through before reaching the cabin. 

“What’s that?” Loki asked. He had watched the change in landscape keenly, and now brightly colored signs had caught his attention. 

“Ooh, a fair!”

You wasted no time in finding a parking spot, and then putting the car top up. 

“Come on, I haven’t been to a fair in years. We don’t have to ride anything, but I’m hungry.”

“I suppose I could eat something,” Loki responded. 

He walked beside you to the ticket booth, and looked around curiously. You could tell that he was interested in the activity, but was trying not to appear _ too _ interested. 

After paying the admission fee, you led him through the gate, then wound your way through the attractions, explaining about the various rides and games when he asked. 

“What’s that?” He asked, pointing toward a child with a bright blue cotton candy. 

“The child or what she’s eating?”

You could have sworn that he’d given a tiny laugh at that. 

“What is she eating?”

“Cotton candy,” you replied. “Let’s get one.”

Before handing it to him, you pulled off a small bit for yourself. Loki followed your example, and found that he rather liked the strange food item. He stood and watched in fascination while the vendor spun the candy and wound it onto the stick. 

“Come on, there is more to try.”

Loki finished the cotton candy while you both continued to walk past games and other booths. There was one section that had nothing but food, and you could smell the funnel cakes, among other things. 

“Loki, if you’ll sit at that table, I’ll stand in line and get a couple of funnel cakes and caramel apples.”

He nodded and went over to claim the empty table. When you returned with the food, you were greeted by the sight of Loki and a little girl having a stare down. The child chewed on her finger while she curiously watched him; he met her gaze without moving. You could tell that he was a bit flustered and wasn’t quite sure what to do about her. 

“Here we are.”

You put the tray of food on the table before turning to the girl. 

“Hi, sweetheart. Are you lost?”

She moved her gaze to you but remained silent. She looked to be about four years old but not yet panicked without her parents. You held your hands out to her to see if she would let you pick her up. She raised her arms to you without hesitation. 

“Can you tell me your name?”

“M’rissa.” She didn’t take her finger out of her mouth and you had to guess at what she said. 

“Marissa? Alright, sweetie, let’s see if we can find your mom.”

You looked out over the crowd, but no one seemed to be missing their child. Then you spied a police officer. 

“I’ll be right back, if anyone starts looking for her, I’ll be over there with that police officer.”

Loki nodded before turning his attention to the tray you’d put down. You returned after a few minutes without the girl. 

“Her parents had already missed her and he was helping to look for her,” you told him as you sat down beside him. You then smiled at him. “Your lips are blue.”

Loki jerked upright and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. He seemed almost panicked, but the look he gave you was due to something else. You’ve never been afraid of him, just a bit wary of his temper, but you’d just caught a glimpse of the dangerous side of him. You knew instantly that you’d said something wrong. 

“What is it?” You asked, in consternation. “Loki? It’s just from the food coloring in the cotton candy.”

By this time, he’d discovered that his fingertips were also blue and rubbed them together anxiously. You quickly dug into the backpack you carried for some wet wipes. 

“It’ll come off,” you told him, putting a wipe into his hand, along with a small mirror. “But your tongue will be blue for a while.”

Loki wiped his fingers first and seemed relieved when he got most of the dye off. He appeared to brace himself as he raised the mirror to look at his face, then wiped at his mouth. He did check his tongue, but once his lips were no longer stained, he seemed to relax. 

“Is something wrong?” You asked quietly. 

“N-no, of course not,” he replied. 

You weren’t convinced and he knew it, but he changed the subject by turning his attention to the tray you had set down. 

“What’s all this?” He asked. 

“Funnel cake, caramel apple slices and smoked turkey legs,” you replied. 

Loki tasted the funnel cake and caramel apple ‘nachos’, finding that he liked both. You pushed the tray toward him while eating on a turkey leg, which was one of your favorite foods from a fair. 

Loki watched you, bemused, before trying his. It was good, but he mostly enjoyed watching you demolish yours. 

“What?” You asked, noticing his interest. 

“Nothing.”

“I told you I was hungry,” you said, defensively. 

“So you did,” he replied, turning his attention to the surroundings and to the people walking by. “Is there much more to see?”

“Not really, unless you want to try one of the rides,” you told him.

“No, I don’t think so.”

He was still a bit unsettled but you had no idea why. He took a couple bites of the turkey before putting it down. It was obvious that he was ready to leave, so you finished quickly before getting up to empty the tray into the nearby garbage can. You used a wet wipe on your hands and face, after handing him another one. 

“Let’s go,” you told him. “I’m ready to get on to the cabin and swim.”

— — —

The remainder of the drive to the cabin was made in silence. Loki was upset about something, but you were afraid to ask about it. You knew that it was something you’d done, and it worried you. 

After getting to the house and taking the luggage in, you showed the bedrooms to Loki, letting him have his pick before taking your things to the other one to unpack. You quickly changed into your swimsuit and went out to the pool. 

After testing the water temperature, you jumped in to swim lazily from one end to the other before getting out to stretch out on a lounge chair. The sun, along with long drive, made you drowsy, and you fell asleep very quickly. 

After he finished unpacking, Loki walked through the house and found the patio door open. He could see you in the chair, and stood there for a few minutes, just watching. He noticed that your swimsuit was one piece, unlike ones he’d seen on the television that left little to the imagination. He decided that he liked yours better; it suited your personality. 

You also wore a bracelet on your wrist, which he knew was a link to Stark’s Jarvis, and had a gold anklet on each ankle. You rarely wore jewelry, other than simple earrings, and the gold on your feet was a bit of a surprise. 

Loki then wondered if the episode at the fair had frightened you. He hoped that there wasn’t a set back due to it. After that initial week where he’d been alone with you, he had come to enjoy having you around him. You were funny, mischievous and a fitting partner in pranks. 

Loki smiled at that memory before quietly making his way out to the pool. He realized then that you were fast asleep. He slid into the pool silently, not wanting to disturb you. 

After about fifteen minutes, you stirred, sitting up to fluff your hair out. You noticed Loki floating on his back. He didn’t have a shirt on, and at the sight of his chest and abs, your appreciation of his strength went up a notch. Heck, _ three _ notches. 

You coughed slightly before getting up from the chair to move to the pool. Loki put his feet down, then stood up. His wet hair fell down the back of his neck and was longer than it looked when dry. 

_ Four notches _ in appreciation for hair that made you jealous. 

He came closer to you, then levered himself up to sit beside you on the pool’s side. You both were quiet for several minutes. 

“I’m sorry,” you finally spoke, almost too softly to hear. 

“Why?” Loki asked, clearly surprised. 

“I’ve said or done something wrong,” you replied.

“No.” Loki took your hand and kissed the back of it. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Little Wolf, and I apologize if I’ve made you think that you have.”

He continued to hold your hand for a couple of minutes, then let go. 

“I liked the cotton candy, but didn’t realize that it would dye me blue,” he told you, with a slight grin. 

“Oh,” you replied. “If you want to try it again, we could get the purple or pink.”

“Hmmm, purple lips or pink. Which do you prefer?”

“Why don’t we go with purple?”

“Purple it is, then,” he responded with a laugh, which relieved you immensely. “Come, let’s swim, then see about dinner. I will cook.”

“Awesome,” you replied, smiling at him.


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, after eating, you went to bed early, leaving Loki in the library. You had checked in with Natasha and asked her to tell Thor and Tony that everything was okay. 

You decided not to tell them about the incident with the cotton candy, since you really weren’t sure whether it was important. 

When you got up the next morning, Loki had made breakfast already and left a plate for you. He was currently in the pool, floating on his back as before. You let him be while you washed the few breakfast dishes left. 

You checked your phone for messages while trying to decide what to do with the day, if anything. Maybe a hike or horseback riding. Or not. If you had been alone, it would have been easier, but you really wanted to include Loki, if he was interested. 

You walked out to the pool and sat down in a chair. Loki had changed position by that time and was now swimming underwater. You were impressed that he could hold his breath long enough for him to finish one lap. 

“Good morning,” he said, after emerging close to where you were sitting. 

“Good morning,” you replied. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “What’s on the agenda today?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” you replied, noticing how green his eyes looked in the bright sun. “It’s a toss up between going riding, hiking or just doing absolutely nothing.”

He laughed at that while running a hand through his wet hair. You were glad to see that he no longer appeared upset by whatever had happened the previous day. 

“Tell me about hiking,” he requested. 

“There’s a trail that starts just out there, sometimes you can see deer if you’re quiet enough. There’s also a creek that runs alongside it in places, and there is a deep eddy where you can swim if you want.”

“Do you usually go by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“And it’s safe?”

“Sure, I’ve never had any trouble,” you shrugged. “If you’re interested, I would enjoy the company.”

“Alright,” he said, surprising you a bit. 

— — —

When you and Loki reached the swimming spot in the creek, you dropped your backpack next to a tree, then sat down to change into your water socks. Loki watched with interest. 

“I have a pair for you, got them in case you wanted to swim in the creek,” you told him, pulling them from the pack. “They’ll protect your feet from getting cut.”

Loki sat down in the grass to follow your example. You both were already wearing your swimsuits, so you tossed your tee shirt on top of your shoes, then ran to the water and jumped in. Loki then put his shirt with yours but entered the water more cautiously. 

The water was deep enough so that you could actually swim comfortably, and was a bit cold due to the shade trees that shadowed it. 

Loki lost sight of you when you went underwater in order to swim behind him. Then you emerged in a surprise attack, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his middle, trying to duck him. There was just one problem though: he wouldn’t go down. 

“What are you doing?” He asked mildly, while reaching behind him to put his hands under your bottom. 

“I’m trying to duck you,” you huffed, still wrestling with him and trying to throw him off balance. “It always worked with my cousins.”

“I see.” 

You could tell that he was amused by your efforts. That should have given you warning about what would happen next. Loki grabbed your arms and hauled you off his back and to the front. 

Then he _ launched _ you across the swimming hole. You shrieked all the way up, then all the way down until you landed butt first in the water. 

_ Ka-thunk! _

It took a moment, but you finally surfaced, sputtering and coughing while pushing hair out of your face. Loki started to laugh at your expression of surprise, until he realized that he might have hurt you. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, thinking ahead about how he would ever explain to Thor that he’d inadvertently injured you. 

“What the _ hell?” _

He did grin then. 

“You stay right there, mister.”

He waited as you swam to him, then stood. 

“You nearly threw me into outer space!” You accused. 

“Impossible,” he scoffed, again fighting the impulse to laugh. 

“Near-earth orbit, then,” you amended. 

He did laugh then. Loki had thrown you nearly twenty feet from him; it felt like you’d traveled one hundred, and you were quite stunned. 

“Do it again,” you said, raising your arms. 

“What?”

“Again,” you repeated. 

After about an hour of him tossing you, he finally allowed you to duck him, although it would have been more meaningful if you’d been able to do it without help. You couldn’t help but notice that his fingers had turned the faintest shade of blue. You weren’t sure if this was normal for an Asgardian, but you didn’t want to take the chance that he would get sick. 

“Okay, I’m tired,” you finally told him. “I need to warm up. We’re both a bit blue.”

You got out of the water, then went to your backpack to dig out a couple of towels. You had already turned away from him, and missed the wary look he gave you before following you. 

Loki caught the towel you tossed to him and wiped his face before draping it around his neck. He then helped you spread out a blanket that you’d brought along. 

You both took off the water socks and set them out to dry, then you brought out a container of sliced, mixed fruit that you had put in the freezer the night before. 

“I brought a snack; it should be thawed enough now to eat.”

You finally stretched out, after giving Loki the remaining fruit. 

“I had a lot of fun. What about you?”

“Yes,” he replied, laying down beside you. 

“Good.” Your voice was soft as sleep began to overtake you.

With a sigh, you turned onto your stomach, pillowing you head on your arms. 

“Loki,” you whispered. “Look.”

He turned over quietly when you put your fingers to your lips, and then pointed toward the meadow. A small group of deer was grazing not too far away, with the animals occasionally looking up for signs of danger. You smiled upon seeing the spotted fawns that stayed close to their mothers. 

You glanced over at Loki, and he returned your smile. You watched the deer for a few more minutes before closing your eyes for a nap. Loki followed suit, although he didn’t sleep. 

He knew that you had seen the bluish tint to his skin, but hadn’t asked about it. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or not, since no one ever dared talk about the other side of him, not even Thor. Since you had also had a bit of blue around your lips and fingertips, he hoped that you would think that it was a natural reaction to the cold water, which technically, it was. 

He sighed deeply, rubbing his face with both hands, before relaxing. He didn’t want to frighten you because he really did enjoy your company. 

— — —

After returning to the cabin, Loki went to his room, then to the library while you went on to your room to change. While there, you texted Nat.

  * You: Hey, girlfriend 
  * Nat: Hey, you ok?
  * You: yeah, something’s up w/Loki 
  * Nat: What?
  * You: not sure..pls ask Thor if Loki is sick when he turns blue
  * Nat: hold on

While you were waiting on a response, you received an incoming call. It was Thor on Nat’s phone. You listened quietly, then grew angry. 

“Don’t you think that's something I should have known so that I wouldn’t distress him??” You hissed. “What the hell is a Frost Giant?”

You listened further, so angry that you were shaking, and quite unaware that Loki heard part of your conversation when he left the library to go back to his room. 

“When we get home, I’m going to take Mjolnir and smack you all up side the head with it, I _ swear!” _

You ended the call abruptly, while sinking weakly onto the bed. As you thought about what Thor had told you, you recognized the panic that Loki must have felt when the cotton candy had stained his lips and fingers. 

How are you going to face Loki now that you knew about his secret? 

— — —

After calming yourself, you went out to the pool to read for a bit before dinner. You lay on your stomach, and was so engrossed in your book, that the appearance of a large black cat startled you. 

“Hey, buddy, where’d you come from?”

The cat put its front paws on the chair before jumping up and laying on your book. You rubbed its head, then scratched it under the chin. 

“That’s quite a motor you have there,” you commented, referring to the loud purring. 

The cat remained on the book, evidently enjoying the attention. It didn’t appear to be hungry, as you couldn’t feel its ribs and its coat was glossy and soft. 

“Stay right there.” 

You changed your position and put the back of the chair up so that you could recline. The cat immediately moved to your lap, and it was heavier than it looked. It finally laid down, with its head in the crook of your arm, purring all the while. You continued to pet it, using your short nails to scratch its jaw and throat. 

You managed to take a selfie and sent it to Nat. 

  * You: new friend, green eyes
  * Nat: cute 
  * You: I always wanted blk cat w green eyes
  * Nat: Thor sez that’s Loki 
  * You: wut??
  * Nat: shapeshifter 
  * You: damit, u tell him he’s DEAD

You put the phone aside and stroked the cat until it got up, stretched, then went on its way. After a few minutes, you took your book inside and found Loki at work in the kitchen. 

“Can I help?” You asked. 

“If you like,” he replied. 

You washed your hands, then waited on instructions. Loki put you to work preparing the vegetables that he had ready. 

“Don’t cut yourself,” he commented absently. 

“Good sous-chefs rarely cut themselves,” you replied. “Ouch!”

He quickly turned and you grinned at him. 

“Gotcha!”

“Your employer would say that you’re learning bad habits,” he said, shaking his head. 

“Well, when I get to hang out with the god of mischief, what should he expect?”

Loki couldn’t help but chuckle at your reasoning. Once you finished slicing the vegetables, he gave a nod of approval. 

“I like your knife work.”

“Thanks.” That was a high compliment, coming from someone who could wield a knife like nobody’s business.


	4. Chapter 4

After the meal, you helped to clean up the kitchen, then grabbed your tablet to take with you to the hammock that was just begging to be used. It wasn’t quite dark yet, so you relaxed while browsing the internet. 

“Hello.”

The cat was back and trying to find a way onto the hammock. 

“I’m not helping, you’ll have to — ooof!”

It had taken a mighty leap and landed right on your stomach, then promptly laid down while looking at you. With a sigh, you scratched its chin again. 

“If you really _ are _ Loki, I want you to know that I’m not afraid of you or upset with you. Thor, on the other hand, is gonna get another piece of my mind,” you told it, very softly in case it _ wasn’t _ Loki. You didn’t want him thinking that you were crazy for talking to a cat. “You don’t have to hide.”

You continued with your browsing while keeping your free hand on the cat. You stayed that way until well after sunset, then put your tablet aside to look up at the stars. Eventually your new friend got up and jumped down before disappearing into the dark. 

“Tala?” 

Loki came out of the house about fifteen minutes later. You smiled to yourself; if he had been disguised as a cat, he was trying not to make it obvious. 

“Hey.”

“Scooch over, I’d like to join you.”

“Did you just say ‘scooch?’” You asked, with a soft giggle. 

“Hmm.” He made a face while watching you keep your balance in the hammock. “I suppose I did.”

He carefully laid down, causing the hammock to dip with his weight. This in turn caused you to roll partially on top of him. 

“Sorry, sorry,” you murmured, quickly trying to give him space. 

“Stop,” he said, arranging you so that your back was slightly to him, with your shoulder and hip resting against his side. “I’ve told you that I choose who touches me, and I don’t mind your doing so.”

“Okay,” you replied, getting still. “I won’t abuse the privilege.”

“See that you don’t,” he replied, with a laugh. “So, what are you doing out here?”

“Looking at the stars and petting an extremely heavy cat that’s since left.”

Loki knew you were fishing for something, but kept quiet. He gazed up at the stars, lost in thought. Your head rested on his arm; he had his hand under his head. 

“You spoke to Thor earlier, didn’t you?”

You stiffened with dread, your mind racing. He remained quiet, waiting to see if you would lie, knowing that you wanted to. 

“Yes.” Your voice was small, even to your own ears. 

“He told you?” Loki could almost _ feel _ your panic. 

“Yes.” You were almost afraid to move and you were definitely uncertain how he would react. 

“I see.” Again, he remained quiet for several minutes. “Why would he do that?”

“When we swam earlier, I noticed that….that you were slightly blue. I just wanted to be sure that you weren’t getting sick. I didn’t know if I would be able to help you if you were.”

You felt it when he nodded slightly. He could tell that you were still apprehensive but wanted to ask questions. 

“What would you like to know?” He finally asked. 

“Only what you’re comfortable telling me,” you replied. “Or nothing at all, if you don’t care to discuss it.”

Loki moved the arm that pillowed your head in order to hold you a bit closer to him. He then grasped your wrist lightly. 

“Ask,” he said. 

So, you cautiously asked, then listened as he explained about the Frost Giants. How he had two forms, how he had discovered this, how he had found out that he’d been adopted. He spent more time talking than you did asking. 

“What else would you like to know?” He asked. 

“Does your personality change? I mean, are you still yourself? You don’t suddenly get the urge to eat brains or anything, right?”

“Norns, woman, where do you get such ideas?” He laughed then and the mood lightened. 

“You don’t look anything like this, do you?”

You showed him a picture of humans’ idea of what an extraterrestrial being would look like. 

“Not even close.”

“Good,” you replied in relief. “Do you look like yourself?”

“For the most part.”

You were both silent for a while. He thought you’d fallen asleep until you spoke again. 

“Will you show me one day?”

“Perhaps, but not tonight.”

“Okay.”

He felt relieved when you relaxed; he had been concerned that you might have been too afraid or wary to remain near him. His thumb gently rubbed across the back of your hand; you weren’t sure if he was aware that he was doing it and kept still so that he wouldn’t stop. 

The movement of his hand along with the gentle sway of the hammock lulled you to sleep, and Loki stayed still, just looking up at the sky. When you shivered slightly from the cool breeze, he finally woke you and sent you on to bed. 

— — —

The next morning, when you awoke, you groaned softly because your head felt like it was going to explode. Your throat hurt, and you were congested. 

“Crap.” Okay, you were hoarse, too. _ Double crap. _

After taking a hot shower, you stumbled into the living room, trying not to sniffle but failing. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Loki had just exited his bedroom and with one look at you, he knew something was up. 

“Nothing,” You croaked. “Just a summer cold.”

“A what?”

“Just a bug, happens sometimes,” you shrugged while pouring a glass of orange juice, which burned going down. 

“Bug?” He asked, puzzled. “Were you bitten?”

“No, I meant it’s something that can make you sick. A germ,” you explained. “I’ll be alright but it may take a couple of days.”

“Mortals are fragile creatures, it appears,” he commented. “But you’ll be alright? Should we contact Stark?”

“No, I’ll be fine, really,” you replied. “I hope you’re not susceptible or we’ll be in the same boat.”

You made a face after another sip of orange juice and decided hot tea would be much better. Loki came over and guided you to a chair at the counter. 

“Sit, I’ll make the tea.”

You nodded gratefully while watching him. You had started to ask for honey, but he was already putting some into the cup.

“Thank you.”

“Hmmm,” he nodded, watching you. “Are you feverish?”

“No.”

Loki studied your face before reaching out to put a finger under your chin in order to tilt your face upwards. Then he pressed the backs of his fingers against your forehead. 

“I think you might be,” he said. “Let me know if you start feeling worse.”

“Alright, but you might want to keep your distance. I don’t want you to get sick.”

“Don’t worry.”

After finishing your tea, you decided to lay back down for a while. You’d searched both bathroom medicine cabinets for cold medicine or at least something for a headache, but found nothing. 

Once you were sound asleep, Loki came to the doorway to watch you for a moment. He listened to your breathing, which did sound irregular due to your congestion. He determined that he would keep a close eye on you, in case you became worse off. 

Loki went over to the bed in order to pull the sheet up over you, then laughed softly. You were breathing through your mouth, and as a result had drooled on your pillow. 

“What is it.” 

Loki glanced at you quickly but you didn’t move, and hadn’t woken up, so he didn’t reply, just quietly left. 

— — —

When you got up around noon, Loki had tea waiting for you and a light lunch. 

“Are you any worse?” He asked. 

“Maybe just a bit. I think you’re right about the fever,” you replied, then coughed harshly. “Please don’t get sick, too.”

“Don’t worry,” he repeated. “I’ve added something to the tea that will help.”

“Alright. Don’t use your seidr; I know that it drains you,” you told him. 

“Something like this requires almost no effort,” he replied. “But we will try the tea first.”

After you finished eating, he walked with you out to the pool so that you could sit in the sun for a bit. He took a book with him, and sat close by while you dozed. 

“What did you have planned for the rest of the week?” He asked when you woke later. 

“I was going horseback riding; there is a stable that I visit every year, and I was looking forward to it.”

“I feel that you’ll be better by tomorrow, so your plans are unlikely to be ruined,” he told you. 

“I hope so.”


	5. Chapter 5

When you woke the next morning, you were pleasantly surprised to find that you were feeling much better. The cough that had started was gone and your head was no longer stuffy. 

“Well, he was right.” Yay! Your throat was no longer on fire. 

Loki was in the kitchen when you walked in; he turned slightly to acknowledge you. 

“How do you feel?”

“Much better,” you replied, after plopping onto a chair at the breakfast bar. “You must be some kind of magician...to...have…”

Your voice trailed as you realized what you had said. Loki raised his eyebrows at you, causing you to burst into laughter. 

“Sorry,” you said breathlessly. “I just meant that the tea worked wonders. If you cared to share it, people would probably pay big money for a cure for the common cold.”

Loki shook his head as he returned to his cooking. He took a moment to put more tea in front of you. 

“What’s in it? Some special Asgardian honey that is only collected on the first full moon of the third month of the year and under a cloudless sky?”

“How ever did you guess?”

Again, you laughed until tears were streaming down your cheeks. Loki gave you an appraising glance. 

“Have you stolen some of Thor’s mead?” He asked. 

“No, I guess I'm just relieved that I feel better,” you replied. “Would you like help?”

“Almost done,” he replied. “Sit and relax.”

You finished your tea while he finished breakfast. Then, after eating, you both went out to sit poolside. You were happily relaxing when your four legged friend made an appearance by jumping on your stomach. 

“You really are too heavy to be doing that,” you scolded, as it made itself comfortable. 

You glanced over at Loki, who was watching the cat curiously. 

“This is your new friend?” He asked. 

“Yes. I hope he or she has a home; I’d hate to think it’s lost or abandoned with no food.”

Loki watched the animal for a moment longer before laying his head back and closing his eyes. 

“Were you going riding today?”

“I’ll wait until tomorrow,” you replied. “There’s no big hurry. We still have two weeks.”

For the rest of the day, you rested by the pool or took a nap, while Loki read or made meals. The cat would come and go periodically causing you to think that Loki couldn’t be in two places at once, not knowing that he could duplicate himself. 

Nightfall found you both in the hammock again, looking at the stars, talking quietly. The cat had joined you, jumping up and, as usual, parking itself on your stomach. Loki never touched it but he also didn’t shoo it away. 

Loki found that he preferred the quietness of the cabin more than the noise and bustle of the city. If he listened closely, he could just hear the creek rushing over the smooth stones where a small dam had been made. The slight breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees; the sound was soothing. 

“It looks like we’ll have rain soon,” he said, noticing lightning in the distance. 

“What?” You were almost asleep when he spoke. 

“A storm is coming,” he repeated.

“Oh.” 

He let you sleep until the storm got closer, then shook you awake to guide you to the house. It wasn’t a moment too soon: just as he closed the patio door, the bottom dropped out, drenching everything quickly. 

You managed to get to the sofa before curling up sleepily on one end. Loki silently locked the door, then walked through the house turning off lights before sitting near you. 

He alternated between watching the storm and glancing over at you. You were sleeping easily despite the noise; storms never bothered you unless they came with high winds. 

While Loki sat in the semi-dark, he thought back over the last few months of having you close by nearly every day. Although he knew that you were brought in to help him, he’d decided early on that he didn’t need any help settling in with puny, short-lived mortals. 

Of course, once he was installed in a suite among his brother and the Avengers, he realized very quickly that he’d have to do a lot of menial things for himself, from making food or tea when he wanted it to caring for his own clothes. There were no servants to do those things. 

Then you moved in to an empty apartment just down the hall from him. He had half expected that you would be constantly underfoot, offering help when he didn’t need or want it, but you hadn’t done that, other than bringing tea or snacks to him when you made something for yourself. 

At that time, he still wasn’t happy about being banned from Asgard and forbidden from leaving Midgard to go anywhere else and he especially didn't like being under Thor’s authority. He didn’t like that part _ at all. _

Then he’d been left alone with you for those four and a half days. He had felt relief with being alone on the whole floor; well, alone for the most part. His relief was short lived though, when he realized that there wouldn’t be any community meals or even cold leftovers since there was no one to cook but you. 

And since he had snapped at you earlier in the day, it was also apparent that you weren’t going to cook for him or even _ offer _ to cook. You both managed to avoid each other for almost two days, and he had seriously considered asking you for a cup of tea at least. 

Then you had been injured and unwilling to let him help until the pain was so overwhelming that you couldn’t leave your bed. You had been wary of him, and maybe a bit frightened, but had let him use seidr to heal the broken ribs. 

When you fell asleep once the healing was done, he stayed seated on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes before getting up and pulling the covers over you. The next day, you made tea for yourself and there was enough hot water for him to have two cups, which tasted like nectar and helped to wash down those bland fruit pastries that Thor liked. 

After that, his resentment toward you had abated, and when you had cooked the steaks and offered them to him, he decided he could bear your presence as long as he wasn’t being smothered. 

He studied you during that time, and found that you were very likable, gentle, unobtrusive and really good at pranks. He had been blamed for a couple of them, which wasn’t surprising; the surprising part was that no one had suspected you at all. 

Loki thought that you were beautiful, although not strikingly so. Your eyes always seemed to sparkle with humor and he had only seen you angry the one time. That you’d been angry at Thor, of all people, had improved his mood for the remainder of the day. 

Now you would be going back to your duties at Stark Industries, and he would be going on missions with the team. He wasn’t looking forward to that, and knew that he would miss your company. He’d be lying if he said otherwise. 

The storm intensified then, bringing him out of his musing. The wind had picked up as well; when it overturned a piece of patio furniture, you sat straight up, wide awake. Jumping to your feet, you frantically looked for your phone or tablet. 

“What is it?” He asked, rather alarmed. 

“Where’s my — “

You found what you were looking for and quickly checked on the weather. Loki stayed seated, waiting on an explanation for your behavior. You sat down again while looking at the tablet, then leaned back. He could see that you were trembling. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I wanted to be sure that the storm wasn’t worse than it sounded,” you replied, setting the tablet aside. “I don’t like high winds.”

“Is that all?”

“Tornadoes,” you whispered softly. 

Something else crashed outside, causing you to jump slightly. Loki reached over, pulling you snug against his side. You were reluctant to relax against him, still wanting to respect his space even though he had initiated the contact. He liked that about you, he decided, smiling to himself. 

“Should we be worried about tornadoes here?”

“No, but the winds can still blow trees over or damage a house. I hope the cat isn’t out in this.”

“Let’s try not to worry until there is something to worry about.”

Loki tightened his arm around your side, encouraging you to relax. Your head finally dropped to his shoulder. You did relax some, although slowly, since the wind was still strong. 

It was several hours until the storm passed completely, and by that time you were sound asleep, still leaning against Loki. He felt that it would be a good time to wake you to send you to bed. 

“Tala.” He shook you gently. 

You roused slowly, rubbing your eyes. 

“The storm has passed, you can go to bed now.”

You nodded, glancing over at him. Then your eyes widened and your cheeks burned in mortification. 

“What now?” he asked. 

“I-I’ve drooled on your shirt,” you said, barely able to get the words out. 

“So you have,” he replied.

“Why didn’t you wake me? I’m so sorry, I’ll wash it for you.”

“It’s nothing to worry over,” he replied. “I’ve been drooled on before.”

“Really?”

“Yes, by dragons and other horrid beasts.”

“Dragons?” You repeated, skeptically. 

“Hmmm, I reeked for several days afterwards.”

Loki tried to lighten the mood a bit, but you were stuck on the word ‘dragons.’” It was at that point when it hit home that Loki and Thor were real “aliens”, had come from outer space, and had likely seen all kinds of creatures. 

“I’d like to see a dragon.”

“Believe me, you would not.”

“A small one?”

Loki shook his head as he stood and held out his hand. You took it and he pulled you to your feet. 

“Go to bed.” He pushed you gently toward your bedroom. “Goodnight.”

— — —

The next morning, you received a text from Nat just as you were waking up. You sleepily grabbed your phone and tried to read the text with bleary eyes. 

  * Nat: saw that it stormed there last nite, u ok?
  * You: yeah, I slept until the wind got bad
  * Nat: any damage?
  * You: not sure, patio furniture maybe and Loki’s shirt
  * Nat: ??
  * You: drooled on him O_o
  * Nat: whut?
  * You: later on that & no telling the others
  * Nat: alright, just checking in
  * You: :-)

After you had showered and dressed, you joined Loki in the kitchen. He had already made breakfast and you sat down together to eat. 

“I’m sorry about drooling on you last night,” you told him. “Please let me wash your shirt.”

“It’s nothing,” he replied, noting your blush. “Don’t fret over it.”

You nodded, still embarrassed by what had happened. 

_ You drooled on a prince, you ninny. _

After breakfast, you both checked for damage around the cabin. A patio chair had been blown over and there were leaves everywhere, but other than that, no damage. The cat wasn’t anywhere to be found, making you just a bit anxious about it. 

You decided that you would visit the stable that afternoon, and was rather pleased when Loki said he would like to join you. The stable had quite a few horses to choose from, but your favorite was a Friesian named Apollo. 

Loki looked at the large animal, then at you, wondering whether you could control such a horse. He also selected a Friesian because he wanted an animal that could keep up with your mount in case there was trouble. 

He needn’t have worried though, because it became quite obvious that you could handle the spirited horse, and had been riding long enough to gain expertise in it. 

During the ride, Loki kept an eye on you, while you appreciated the figure he cut on a horse that armored knights would have ridden. 

_ Remember when you drooled on him? _

That voice in your head offered up that embarrassing reminder and you stomped it down, _ hard_. 

— — —

After spending the afternoon riding, you cleaned the debris from the pool. There were some small branches with leaves in the deep end, so you had to dive down to get them. After getting out as much as you could, you swam for a bit before getting out to dry off. 

Loki was already seated in a chair after cleaning up the stuff you threw out of the pool. You couldn’t tell, but he still watched you, his gaze hidden behind his sunglasses. 

“You ride very well,” he commented when you took the lounge chair beside him. 

“I’ve always loved horses,” you replied, with a smile. “I grew up where we were able to see the herds of wild mustangs. I dreamed of having one just for myself, but really had no place to keep one.”

After a couple of minutes, you spoke again. 

“I remember studying mythology in school. There was a story about a flying horse called Pegasus that was captured and tamed with a magic bridle. I reasoned that if there had ever been such an animal, they existed, and I was determined to find one. My childhood dream was crushed when I realized it was just a legend.”

You laughed softly at the memory while shaking your head.

“Silly, hunh?”

“Not at all,” he replied. “The Valkyrie rode such animals. There are still a few on Asgard, in the royal stables.”

“What??” You sat up and looked at him, not sure if he was being truthful or not. 

“Yes, and no magic bridle is needed.”

“I would love to see one,” you said, cautiously, truly expecting him to tell you that he’d been teasing.

“Perhaps one day, you’ll be allowed to visit Asgard. I would be honored to escort you and show you the horses.”

You weren’t sure what to say to that, just smiled at him and nodded. 

Later, after dinner, while you both relaxed on the hammock, he used his seidr to produce a tiny dragon that you could touch and pet. You were suitably impressed, then he conjured a tiny Pegasus and you almost cried because it was so beautiful and you now knew that there were real ones in existence. 

“Thank you.” You tried to hide the tears that threatened to escape. 

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly.

That night, after you were both in your respective beds, Loki thought about the events of the day and determined that he would take you to Asgard to see the Valkyries’ horses if it were at all possible.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends your three week vacation with Loki. Wonder what will happen next?

_“Loki!”_

You ducked behind the windshield of Tony’s car as orange traffic cones flew up and over it. 

“Stop the car, stop the car!”

Loki pressed the brake pedal a bit too vigorously and skidded to a stop. 

“You remember the point of the exercise, right?” You asked, breathlessly. 

“I have perfect memory,” he huffed, glancing over at you. 

You stare at each other for a few seconds before bursting into laughter while unbuckling your seatbelt in preparation of getting out to set the cones up again. 

“Make sure it’s in park,” you instructed him before getting out. 

He obeyed, then waited until you were seated and buckled in. 

“Alright,” you said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try again, and I want you to forget anything that Clint told you. There are no points given for each cone you hit, how many red lights you run NOR for how many pedestrians you knock off the sidewalks. This is _ not _ Grand Theft auto.”

Loki nodded while staring intently at the course ahead. His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that you worried that he might have warped it. 

“Relax. You’re doing fine,” you assured him. “Come on, _ relax_.”

You watched while the tension slowly left his shoulders and hands. Once he was ready, he put the car into drive and continued with the lesson. With Tony’s okay, you had managed to rent the local drivers course so that there would be little chance of Loki damaging property or people. Hopefully, nothing _ would _ be damaged, especially you. 

He really wasn’t doing that badly, considering he’d observed while you had driven around it first, showing him what to do. It was the car itself that he was having trouble with. He kept forgetting that he had to use his foot to start and stop the thing. It was very different than a spaceship, he’d come to realize. 

He did much better on the second, then the third time around. Finally, you felt that he’d had enough for the day and took over for the drive back to the cabin. Before heading back though, you needed to make a quick stop at the drugstore. 

“I won’t be but a few minutes,” you told him. “Do you want to come in?”

“No, I’ll sit out here.”

“Okay.”

You went into the store to get some things you needed, such as headache tablets, that hadn’t been stocked at the cabin. You also grabbed some cat treats just in case your friend showed back up. A box of chocolate candy rounded out the purchase. 

While you waited in line, you could see that Loki had gotten out of the car, and was leaning against the hood while a gaggle of teen girls talked to him. The girls were animated, and he was actually smiling and laughing. He was _ laughing_. 

The inevitable smartphones were out and they were taking turns snapping photos with him. You wondered how their parents would react if they ever discovered that their daughters had been close to Thor’s notorious brother. 

You stifled a grin while the clerk rang up your items. Then, bag in hand, you exited the store and approached the group.

“There you are, sweetheart,” Loki said, standing up. You would swear that he sounded rather relieved. “Here’s my wife, as I told you.”

The girls turned to look at you, and you could tell from their expressions that they didn’t want him to be in a hurry to leave. You dropped the bag into the backseat and gave them a smile, after looking askance at Loki, then smoothly played along. 

“Babe, there’s an ice cream stand across the street,” you tell him. “I’m going to get a cone. Do you want anything?”

“Actually, I’ll go with you,” Loki walked to your side, then put his arm around your shoulders. “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure.”

Loki very firmly guided you across the street and didn’t look back. You fought hard not to laugh at his eagerness to escape from the girls. 

“What was that all about?” 

“I’ve no clue. They thought I was someone else,” Loki replied, with a sigh. “Some actor or whatever.”

“Oh?”

He nodded while reading the menu board at the ice cream shop. You stole a glance back toward the car and the girls were still crowded there, looking at Loki while trying not to be obvious. 

“What do you recommend here?” He asked. 

“I usually get the strawberry with chocolate bits folded in, but since you really like chocolate, why don’t you try that with cherries?”

“Okay, that sounds good.”

You ordered two waffle cones, then Loki watched while the ice cream was prepared on a frozen marble slab. 

“I don’t think they quite believe that I could be your wife,” you commented, while surreptitiously watching the group. 

“Why not?”

“Because they expected someone with your looks to have someone much prettier for your wife,” you replied, with a shrug. 

Loki looked at you in surprise mixed with anger. You didn’t return his gaze as you studied the clerk, who had finished the ice cream and held it out. 

He took his, then grasped your hand to lead you to a bench under a shade tree. He sat down, then pulled you down onto his lap, trapping you there when you would have moved. 

“There are different types of beauty,” he finally says, very quietly, while tightening the arm around your waist until you leaned against him. He kissed your temple before continuing. “It seems that someone has made you doubt yourself.”

“Your ice cream is melting.”

It’s the only thing that came to your mind, causing him to sigh. Loki studied your profile while you avoided his eyes. 

“Who was it?” He asked. 

“You wouldn’t know him, nor have you met him,” you replied. “And he's no longer important to me.”

“But he was once important enough to hurt you, hmmm?”

You shrugged, not really wanting to discuss that particular subject. You stole a glance at the car, rolling your eyes when you saw that the teens were still lingering there. 

“Do you still see him?” Loki asked. 

“The only time I see him is when his company caters one of Pepper’s events. I do my best to avoid him, but he still seeks me out just to annoy me,” you replied. “Men are such asses.”

As soon as the words were out, you clamped your hand over your mouth. 

“Present company excluded, of course,” you quickly amended. 

“No,” Loki smiled, then laughed. “I can be quite an ass; we both know that.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have said that, at least not out loud.”

Loki laughed again, giving you a gentle squeeze. You both were silent while finishing your ice cream. 

“If this person bothers you anymore, you are to let me know, and I will address the issue.”

“You’d have to get behind Natasha. She says she owes him.”

“Good for her.” Loki adjusted his sunglasses. 

“You know, you’re a good friend,” you told him, while very carefully moving a strand of his hair out of his face. 

“I’ve never been accused of that,” he commented, idly playing with your fingers. 

“Well, you are.”

He was quiet for a few minutes before pressing a kiss to the back of your hand. 

“I was rather hoping that those children would be gone by now,” he muttered. “Are you ready to go?”

_ If you mean am I ready to get off your lap? Not yet, dear Prince, not yet. _

“I’m ready when you are,” you replied, hoping to the Nine Realms and beyond that “mind reader” was not one of his talents, and making a mental note to find out somehow. 

Loki stood and put you on your feet, keeping hold of your hand while he led you back toward the car. You dug the keys out of your purse, noting that a couple of teenage boys had joined the girls, but they were looking at the car instead of Loki. 

None of them spoke to either you or Loki, but one of the girls did give him a little wave while you weren’t looking. He pretended not to notice as he walked around to the passenger side after closing the driver’s door for you. 

— — —

“Ah, damit,” you griped while removing your drugstore purchase from the bag, after arriving back at the cabin. 

“What’s wrong?”

“My chocolates melted.” You were tempted to throw the mess into the garbage, but elected to put them in the fridge to see if they were salvageable. 

You handed a bottled water to him as you leaned against the kitchen counter. 

“Did you enjoy driving?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid that I may never be proficient at it,” he replied.

“That’s alright,” you told him. “I wouldn’t be able to fly a spaceship on my first try, either.”

He chuckled softly while examining the package of cat treats. 

“What’s this?”

“Just a little something for Heavy C, if he comes back,” you replied. 

“You named it?”

“Why not?” You laughed. “Although, I doubt if he needs those, because he really _ is _ very heavy.”

Loki started to say something, changed his mind, then changed it again. 

“You’re not planning on taking it back home, are you?”

“No, it has to be someone’s pet. He’s too well fed.”

“Good,” he replied. “How about some lunch and then a swim?”

“Sounds good. I’ll help.”

— — —

Afterwards, Loki watched while you swam a couple of laps before joining you. You tread water in the deep end until he surfaced in front of you. He pushed his hair back from his face, then reached out to snag you around the waist in order to pull you close. 

Your arms tentatively rested on his shoulders while you gave him a questioning look. He studied your face, green eyes intense.

_ He’s gonna kiss you, he’s gonna _ kiss _ you! _That part of your brain that liked to state the obvious was on point today, and you quickly squashed it. 

Loki pressed his forehead against yours for a moment before his lips brushed against yours ever so slightly. Your breath caught in your throat. 

“Y-you may be disappointed...I haven’t had much experience with kissing,” you whispered. “And even less in...the other…”

He noted the faint pink on your cheeks, and felt you tremble against him. “You would never disappoint me.”

His lips brushed against yours again before taking them in a soft kiss. You waited for the assault to begin: the painful fist in your hair, the rough mouth that shredded your lips against your teeth, giving you the taste of blood, and the tight arm at your waist that kept you still. 

Loki’s kiss was nothing like that: his was gentle and coaxing until you instinctively responded to him, with you breaking away only because you had forgotten how to breathe properly.

“Tell me his name,” Loki whispered, eyes locked with yours. 

“What?” You couldn’t get your wits about you. 

“His name.”

“Evan.”

“Evan,” he repeated. “Now, tell me what he did to you.”

You shake your head, a bit wary of his tone. “He didn’t get what he wanted, and that was that. I always felt that there was something off with him, and he pressured me for not giving in, until I’d had enough and broke it off.”

Loki accepted that with a slight nod, but you had a feeling that he intended to pursue the matter further. You really hoped that the two wouldn’t cross paths, because you knew that Evan was unlikely to survive the encounter. 

Later, after dinner, you were both on the hammock as usual and you had already fallen asleep against him. Loki idly stroked your arm while staring at the stars, deep in thought. The cat had found its way back and was presently curled up behind your knees. 

After several hours, he woke you and sent you on to bed, although sleep eluded him until well past midnight. He thought over the conversation in the pool, and the kiss. Although you had been receptive to him, he wondered why he had even done it. It wasn’t out of pity for your experience with that Evan fellow (he hoped that Natasha didn’t get to him first), he realized. 

He’d _ wanted _ to, plain and simple. After spending so much time with you over the last few months, he found that he wanted you to remain close to him. He recognized that you were insecure when it came to relationships, but he was patient and would wait. 

— — —

“Do you want to go back early?” You asked Loki, over breakfast. 

The third week of your vacation was nearly over; today was Friday. Personally, you felt you could just stay at the cabin forever; you enjoyed the peace and quiet. You and Loki had spent most of the time at the cabin and in the pool, but he’d also practiced driving on several occasions before deciding it wasn’t for him. 

“Not particularly,” he replied. “But I suppose there’s no point in avoiding it.”

You agreed. Although you enjoyed working with Pepper, helping to plan her events was hard work, and you were always exhausted when everything was said and done. 

“I have an idea for when we get back,” you told him, pausing to check the text that just came in. 

~ Nat: _ I’m surprised it took them two weeks to post these. _

“What? Is something wrong?” Loki asked, alarmed at your expression. 

Silently, you handed him the phone, with Nat’s text open. She had sent you several pictures from the social media of the teenagers he’d met in town. Loki rolled his eyes before handing the phone back. 

~ Nat: _ Wanna tell me about _ this_? _

The next picture had captured the exact moment that you’d brushed his hair back while sitting in his lap and eating your ice cream. 

~ You: _ NOPE. _

_ ~ Oh, we _ are _ going to talk. _

“What were you saying before about an idea for when we get back?” Loki asked once you’d put your phone aside. 

“Oh, yeah,” you replied. “But first, I want you to know that I’m not really mad at your brother for not telling me about the Frost Giant thing. If I’d known beforehand, I wouldn’t have bought the blue cotton candy and upset you that day at the fair.”

Loki nodded while pouring more tea for you both. 

“He also told me that you could shapeshift after I sent Nat a picture of the cat,” you continued. “By the way, was that you?”

“No,” he said with a laugh. 

“Okay, then. Here’s the idea.”

You explained what you wanted to do. After he had heard you out and stopped laughing, he was on board with it. 

— — —

The drive back to the Tower took longer than normal, since you and Loki weren’t really in a hurry to get back. You found a more scenic route and stopped several times for snacks, and a bag of fresh apples, which Loki enjoyed immensely. 

  * You: Where is everyone?
  * Nat: in the training room. 
  * You: perfect...whatever happens, stay down
  * Nat: do I want to know?
  * You: NO

— — —

When the elevator opened in the training room, everyone turned to see who had arrived. The shocked expressions almost made you laugh, which would have ruined everything. 

You stepped off the elevator while flipping Mjölnir in your hand then catching it by the handle. Then you launched it at Nat, who took a dive and stayed down. Clint ducked after the hammer returned to you only to be sent his way. When he rolled to his feet, Mjölnir hit him in the back, making him face plant on the floor. 

Thor was too stunned at first to move, and Mjölnir struck him hard in the chest, knocking him off his feet. Steve and Tony were immobilized in the corner where they’d been talking quietly, and were ready to avoid the hammer when it came their way. Instead of striking them, though, it circled around before coming back to you. 

By this time, Clint had gotten to his feet, but hit the floor when you glared at him. Thor had rolled to his stomach, watching you warily as you prepared to launch Mjölnir again. 

“That’s for not telling me about Loki, before I discovered it by accident and upset him!”

You threw Mjölnir again, for good measure, before recalling it. The elevator doors opened once more, and Loki stepped out, while holding them open. 

“I think they’ve learned their lesson, Little Wolf,” he commented. 

Your gaze raked over the Avengers, and you nodded. You dropped Mjölnir to the floor before joining Loki. As the elevator doors closed, you and Loki both burst into laughter, which the others could hear. 

Thor slowly got to his feet and approached Mjölnir, which didn’t budge when he tried to call it to him. Just as he touched the handle, he found that he held a dodge ball instead. 

“You know, letting them spend three weeks together was a _ really _ bad idea,” Tony commented, still in the corner where he’d remained with Steve. 

_ Oh, you really have no idea, _ Natasha thought to herself, with a smile.


End file.
